


If I Could Write The Beauty of Your Eyes

by Magnetism_bind



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Professors, Flirting, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Library makeouts, M/M, Silver works in a library, Undercover as a Couple, very light tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2017-06-23
Packaged: 2018-11-18 04:50:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11284068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magnetism_bind/pseuds/Magnetism_bind
Summary: Flint needs a date to a faculty party for private reasons & asks Silver to accompany him....only to find out Silver has personal motives of his own for accepting.





	If I Could Write The Beauty of Your Eyes

 

Flint tugs at his tie and wonders again what on earth had possessed him to agree to this. Oh right, because he wants to get tenure and he likes his job well enough and he wants to help Eleanor and he partly wants to see Silver in a suit. That last one is even better than he imagined. Not that he goes around picturing Silver in anything but his usual clothes. It’s still nice to see.

He watches Silver across the room, conversing with one of the classic lit professors. Frankly he’d expected Silver to be out of his element or something, at a faculty party like this, but for the most part Silver seems right at home, chatting easily with the other guests.

It doesn’t matter. Flint tells himself for the fifth time that night. This isn’t a real date.

As thought drawn to him by his thoughts, Silver appears at his side. “Remind me again why I’m doing this?”

_Because I wanted to see you in a suit_ , Flint thinks. Silver has his hair pulled back, and Flint likes it, but he can’t help thinking about pulling it free, wrapping one of those unruly curls around his forefinger and tugging Silver closer to him. 

“Because I said I’d speak to your boss about getting you more hours and writing you a letter of recommendation when you need one.” Flint responds promptly.

“Right.” Silver swipes a glass of wine off a passing tray. “I’m not sure it’s worth getting fondled though.”

“What?” Flint says a little louder than necessary. A few heads turn in their direction. He lowers his voice. “Who did that?”

“One of the board members.” Silver shrugs. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it matters,” Flint hisses at him. “That’s harassment, and should be reported.” Oh god, this is all his fault.

“I agreed to be here.” Silver reminds him.

“But not to be fondled.” Flint shakes his head. He feels responsible for the whole damn thing, like he somehow made it happen by admiring Silver.

“Oh, I don’t know.” Silver says. “It would depend on who’s doing the fondling.”

His eyes are bright and blue in the evening light, gazing intently at Flint who just frowns at him. “Are you flirting with me?”

“I don’t know what I could have been thinking of.” Silver takes another sip of wine. 

Flint frowns again and takes a sip of his own wine. It’s not a real date, he reminds himself. If it was…

Well, he’d have to have to explain Silver why he had invited him. As it was just an arrangement between two adults, it didn’t matter.

“Why did you ask me anyway?” Silver asks right on cue, like he can read Flint’s thoughts.

Flint hesitates. ‘Personal reasons’ sounds too intimate. “Necessity.” He says at last, with great reluctance. “I needed one of the board members to know I wasn’t…available.” He still can’t believe this is necessary.

“Really?” Silver’s eyes spark with interest. “Who’re you trying to put off?”

“Dean Guthrie.” Flint admits with a sigh.

_“Him?”_  Silver stares at him in alarm.

“Not him exactly.” Flint corrects. “He thinks his daughter and I should be, well, something that we’re not. Something that neither of us wants.”

“But she’s…” Silver turns and looks around the room to spot Eleanor who is off to the one side talking to Max, one of the TA’s. The conversation looks intimate, Eleanor leaning in close to Max, as Max smiles flirtatiously back at her.

“Yes, she is.” Flint confirms. “But her father won’t either admit it or refuses to see it. Anyway, Eleanor and I thought it might be good for her father to see a professor with a same-sex date, maybe it would make him stop making ridiculous suggestions.”

“But you are gay, right?” Silver asks, his eyes intent on Flint’s face, like the answer actually matters to him.

“Yes.” Flint says.  _Very_ , he thinks to himself.  _Very very very gay_ , and he wishes he’d never suggested this. Damn Eleanor for asking for his help and damn himself for agreeing to it.

“Good.” Silver murmurs so quietly into his wine that Flint’s not even sure he’s heard him correctly.

“So you and Eleanor both just want to be left the fuck alone?”

It shouldn’t be that erotic to hear that word on Silver’s lips; it’s just a word. Flint puts it down to not getting out much. He wonders if he could get Silver to say it again.

“That’s it.” Flint straightens up abruptly. “We’re on.” He hisses at Silver as Dean Guthrie swans up to them.

“Professor Flint.” He greets him and then looks at Silver. “And you are…”

“John Silver.” Silver says politely. “Good evening, sir.”

“Are you faculty?” Guthrie eyes him with a disdainful look. “I don’t believe so.”

“I’m the librarian’s assistant.” Silver says into the silence. “Well, one of them.”

“And my date.” Flint says into the silence. He slides an arm around Silver pulling him close. He really shouldn’t enjoy the freedom to do that as much as he does.

“Your…date.” Guthrie repeats. “Really.” He gives Flint an incredulous look.

“Really.” Flint repeats pleasantly, his smile forced.

Guthrie looks at Silver again. “The two of you must have stimulating…conversations.”

Flint processes a number of thoughts simultaneously. Guthrie thinks they’re just fucking. Guthrie thinks Silver is stupid. He’s being fucking insulting to Silver.

His right hand curls tightly into a fist.

“We do.” Silver smiles sweetly at Guthrie as he leans into Flint. “He was just telling me about the numerous sonnets Shakespeare wrote that people assumed were about women, but were in fact probably written about a male lover.”

Guthrie blinks. “Indeed.”

“Quite a number of them.” Flint agrees. “Far too many to dismiss out of hand.”

“Oh, there’s Professor Rackham.” Silver tugs Flint by the hand. “We need to say hello. Come on, James.”

They leave Guthrie looking extremely discomfited and cross the room towards Rackham. Flint lets himself be pulled along by Silver, enjoying it even if he shouldn’t. Enjoying too, the way Silver says his name.

Sadly, Silver abandons his hand as they reach Rackham. He says something in an undertone to Rackham, who snorts derisively at whatever it is and then reluctantly gets out his wallet.

Flint has one eye on them and one eye on Guthrie who’s looking very displeased. He can’t help feeling glad at helping Eleanor piss off her father, even if it’s petty and childish. Sometimes you had to be petty and childish to get people to take you seriously. Well, homophobic pricks anyway.

Rackham pulls out a number of bills and hands them to Silver. “Still can’t believe you won.”

“I told you I would.” Silver smirks.

Rackham just rolls his eyes and looks at Flint. “Good evening, Flint.”

“Evening, Rackham.” Flint nods to him as Rackham moves on. “What was that about?”

“Oh, I bet Rackham I could get you to go on a date with me at the beginning of the semester.” Silver takes another sip of wine. “Finally got to collect.”

Flint stares at him. “You did what?”

Silver looks at him. “Rackham said you never dated, so I bet him I could get you to go on a date.”

Flint processes this. “What were you going to do if I hadn’t suggested tonight?”

“Ask you out.” Silver shrugs. “What else?”

Flint’s still processing this. “On a date.”

“Yes.”

“An actual date.”

“Yes.” Silver says again. “The dean doesn’t look happy.”

“Good.” Flint mutters, then looks over to see Guthrie talking to Eleanor, who has her arms crossed and is one second away from rolling her eyes.

He takes out his phone to tap out a quick text.  _Hang in there, nearly done. Talk later?_

Flint puts his phone away just in time to see a strange look cross Silver’s face. “What?”

“Nothing.”

“Are you jealous?” Flint doesn’t know whether to be amused or what.

Silver shrugs. “Just didn’t realize you and Eleanor were on such good terms is all.”

“Well, we are.” Flint informs him. He’s definitely amused now, amused at the thought of Silver being jealous over Eleanor. Christ, Silver had been going to ask him on a date. What does that even mean for them?

But he hadn’t.

The more he thinks about it, the more uneasy Flint is. It was just a bet to win money because Rackham had said he never went out. A challenge Silver couldn’t resist.

“How much did you win?”

“Two hundred pounds.” Silver grins at him.

“I see.” Flint says slowly.

“What?” Silver asks.

“Nothing.” He finishes his wine and looks at his watch again and then at his phone to see a text from Eleanor.

_Dad’s pissed, but it def helped seeing u w/date. Silver tho, srsly?_

Flint doesn’t respond immediately. He’d helped like he had promised and now they could call it a night. He can’t wait to get home and into his pajamas with a book.

“Let’s make our farewells and go.” He sets his wineglass down.

“It’s early.” Silver blinks at him. “Why?”

“Come on.” Flint places a hand on his back, half propelling him forwards towards the dean.

“Richard, we have to be going.” He gives an apologetic smile. “Early morning and all that.”

“Right, well, thank you for coming.” Guthrie offers his hand and as an afterthought, shakes Silver’s too. “Good evening, Mr. Silver.”

“Good evening.” Silver murmurs. He gives Flint a look as they head out of the room quickly. Flint nods to a few other people, but doesn’t say goodbye to anyone else.

*  *  *

Flint hesitates when they reach his car, and then he unlocks the door. “Can I drop you?”

Silver doesn’t move. “You’re mad about the bet.”

“I’m not mad.” Flint objects to that term on principle. If he were mad, well, things would be different.

“What then?” Silver leans his arms on the car, looking at him across the roof. “Tell me.”

“I find it offensive that I was an object of a bet,” Flint says coolly. “Just a challenge for you to overcome, for a little money.”

Silver’s jaw tightens. “Wow. Really?”

“You asked.” Flint shrugs at him.

Silver presses his hands against the car, staring at Flint with angry eyes. “For your information it’s not just a little money to me. Being a librarian assistant’s doesn’t pay that much, in case you thought I was just working there for a lark.” Silver sneers the word. “And secondly, just because the bet was the reason I intended to ask you, doesn’t mean I didn’t want to take you on a fucking date.”

Flint stares at him. “What?”

“I _wanted_  to ask you out. From the first moment I saw you. Even after I knew you were a professor and probably wouldn’t look twice at me. Granted when Rackham said you never went out with anyone, it was a little bit of an incentive to prove him wrong. I admit that. But it didn’t mean I didn’t  _want_...” Silver cuts himself off. “Forget it. Thanks for the fucking date.”

He stalks off in the other direction.

“Silver!” Flint calls after him. “Wait.”

Silver just ignores him and keeps walking.

Flint sighs. _Fuck._

He wishes he’d never opened his mouth.

*  *  *

A few days pass.

Flint usually stops by the library in-between classes. Lately that had been partly to see Silver. Just to see him, and occasionally chat about books, it hadn’t meant anything. Now Flint hesitates at the door to the library and then goes in anyway. He doesn’t see Silver anywhere, so he drops his book off and leaves quickly.

He stops by Eleanor’s room too to give her his notes on her extra credit paper. Usually he’d have students stop by his office, but he doesn’t have time to hang around there today, and besides he makes exceptions for Eleanor. She’s the only student he’s officially mentoring this term, which makes her father’s desire for them to be a couple even more inappropriate frankly. Anyway, she’s his favorite and the only student he actually cares about so here he is.

Flint raps on the door. “Eleanor, you in there?” He sticks his pen behind his ear as he scrolls through his phone for the details on the meeting later. “Eleanor?” He knocks again.

She finally pulls the door half open, and sticks her head out. “Hi!”

Flint pauses and takes in her appearance. Her cheeks are flushed and her hair is loose and messy.

“Your shirt’s on backwards.” He observes.

“At least I put it on.” Eleanor smiles at him. “I’m kinda in the middle of something.”

Flint sighs. “Let me guess. You have company.”

Her smile is all the confirmation he needs. “Here’s your paper. Nice work. Stop by sometime next week to pick up that outline.”

“Thanks, Professor.”

Flint rolls his eyes and starts heading down the hall. 

“Hey, Flint.” She calls after him and he turns.

Eleanor glances over her shoulder and closes the door halfway behind her. “Thanks again for the other night. Dad’s still not happy about everything, but at least he’s no longer trying to push us together.”

“Good, I’m glad to hear it.” Flint nods. “Hopefully he’ll come around eventually.”

Eleanor sighs. “I’m not holding my breath.” She smiles at him. “Anyway, I have your approval and that’s all that matters.”

“You’re joking, but I’m going to take it seriously all the same.” Flint starts down the hall again. 

“Only half joking!” Eleanor calls after him. “Good luck with your boyfriend!”

“He’s not my boyfriend!” Flint mutters.

*  *  *

Everything’s fine until Flint has to pick up a book. It’s listed available & on the shelf, should be no problem, he’ll grab it and get out of there as quickly as possible. He can’t avoid the library forever, but maybe until Silver stops working there he can.

Except the book isn’t on the shelf.

Flint stands there, just looking at the spot where the book he needs is supposed to be. Finally he sighs, and gives in.

He goes back to the desk. Where of course Silver is the one on duty, deeply engrossed in a book.

Flint clears his throat.

“Just a sec.” Silver reaches for a bookmark without looking up. He marks his place and then looks up. “Oh. Can I help you?”

“This book. It’s not on the shelf.” Flint holds out the slip of paper.

“Right.” Silver stands and takes it from him, carefully avoiding touching Flint’s fingers.

Flint notices of course. He keeps well behind Silver as they walk back to the row he was just at.

Silver scans the shelves and finally crouches down to search the bottom shelf.

Flint pretends he’s not staring at Silver’s butt, but he’s lying and he knows it.

Silver plucks a book off the bottom shelf and straightens up. “Sometimes they get shelved in the wrong place. Or people try to hide them.” He holds it out to Flint.

He’s avoiding looking at Flint and all Flint wants suddenly is to have those blue eyes looking back at him. 

“Thank you.” Flint takes it, deliberately letting his fingertips stroke over Silver’s.

Silver freezes and looks at him. “What’re you doing?”

“I’m sorry.” Flint begins. “I didn’t mean anything by what I said. I just assumed you were asking me out as a joke.”

“A joke.” Silver repeats. “Are you kidding me?”

Flint shrugs helplessly. “Rackham wasn’t wrong. I don’t date much, ever really. And I’m not really…”  _Sociable_  is what he thinks.  _A good relationship bet. The_   _one for you._ All perfectly acceptable reasons and yet he can’t say them, not with Silver looking at him like that.

“Not what…” Silver leans in curiously.

“Not looking for a casual hookup.” Flint says at last, blushing slightly.

“Right.” Silver says. He reaches out, his fingers moving up to rest at the collar of Flint’s shirt. “We should probably move straight to falling madly in love then.”

Flint’s eyes widen.

“I’m kidding.” Silver grins. “Well, mostly. We’d make such a cute couple though.”

Flint kisses him then, pressing him back against the shelves. Silver’s fingers slide in his hair, pushing back against him so that Flint can feel the hot weight of his cock through his jeans. He groans into Silver’s mouth, instinctively reaching for Silver’s hips and lifting him. Silver follows his lead, wrapping his legs around his waist as he sucks heatedly on Flint’s lower lip.

Flint groans again. He’s going to fucking come just from this, holding Silver against a bookshelf, Silver’s tongue curling delightfully and sliding hungrily against his own, his hands pulling Flint close.

Silver pulls off with a gasp, hips gripping Flint even harder.

“What do you want to do?”

“What I want is to fuck you right here against the bookshelf.” Flint whispers in his ear, feeling Silver tremble against him at the waist. “But since I have a meeting with the dean in twenty minutes, I’d probably settle for taking you out to dinner later. If that’s acceptable.”

“Very acceptable.” Silver kisses him again. He’s still pressing completely against Flint as he slides down him.

Flint bites back a groan. “You did that on purpose.”

“Well, yeah. I don’t want you changing your mind and canceling later.”

Flint tilts his face upward for another kiss. “There’s no chance of that.”

He can’t help kissing Silver again and again, until Silver sighs softly into his mouth.

“I’m going to come in my pants if you don’t stop.”

“Maybe that’s my aim.” Flint murmurs.

He doesn’t know how much longer he’d have stayed right there, if there hadn’t been an announcement over the intercom.

_“Professor Flint, to the Dean’s office. Professor Flint to the Dean’s office.”_

Flint pulls back with a sigh. “I should go.”

“Later then.” Silver says.

“Till then.” Flint says. He heads down the aisle towards the door.

“It’s a date.” Silver calls out just as he’s about to leave, and Flint goes through the door, a smile on his lips.


End file.
